Printing press



June 29 1-926. 1,590,250

. O. C. F. MEISEL PRINTING PRESS I Filed May 6, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2: M 1 i-m I June '29 1926. 1,590,250

0. C. F. MEISEL PRINTING PRESS Filed May 6,- 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Int) 671E071 03550 0 FMez' 9 (21.

Patented June 29, 1926.

UNITED STATES tsiaazsa PATENT orrlcs.

OTTO C. F. MEISEL, F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MEISET. PRESS MANU- FACTUBING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CI-IUSETTS.

PRINTING PRESS.

Application filed May- 6,

The present invention relates to printing mechanism by the use of which two jobs of printing may be carried on simultaneously by a single mechanism and, in another aspect, whereby single mechanism may be utilized either to produce relatively elaborate work or, without diminution in output, to produce simultaneously several .kinds of simpler work. Thus, in the example which 'I have chosen for description here for purposes of illustration four color printing may be carried on or an equal number of sheets of two color work may be produced in the same time and these may be two different jobs which are produced simultaneously.

My invention may be illustrated by its application to a multi-couple press of the ring gear type such as that described in detail in the patent to C. A. Meisel, 1,399,360, dated Dec. 6, 1921, to which patent I refer for a description of details not illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

This particular embodiment of my invention may be clearlyunderstood by reference 'to the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein: c

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section through the press; 7

Figs. 2 and 3 are sections on the lines 22 and 3-3 of Figs.- 1 respectively;

Figs. 4 and 4 are elevations of the cam means, the nearer portion of the cam shown in Fig. 1* being shown as removed laterally from the further portion shown in Fig. 48*; and

Figs. 5 and 5 are similar views of change cams utilized when the press is used for printing two two-color jobs.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings,.I have there illustrated a multi-couple four color press substantially similar to that disclosed in the Meisel patent above referred to and embodying a sheet carrier comprising i a pair of ring gears 7 connected by the gripper bars 9, 11 and 13. The structure has somewhat the appearance of a lantern wheel and the whole is rotated on the supporting rolls 15 so that sheets delivered to the gripper bars by the feeding in cylinder 17 and transfer cylinder 19 are carried through a cylindrical path over the supporting segments 21 and through the printing couples I", II, III and IV arranged about the cylindrical path and comprising the form cylin- 1924. Serial No. 711,365.

and'out of cooperation with the form cylinders which it will be unnecessary to descrlbe in detail as they may be like the throw-oft means described in the patentreferred to. It will be suflicient here to say that a throw-oil is effected through the reciprocation of the radially extending arms 27 I, 27 II, 27 III and 27 IV, corresponding to the several couples and controlled by suitable rotary cam mechanism carried by the central shaft 29 at the center of rotation of the ring gears.

In the operation of such a press as de scribed in the patent referredto, a succession of sheets is carried through the several couples and each couple in succession prints on every sheet in a di'lferent color, thus producing four color work. My invention con templates utilizing the press in this manner for producing four color work but when desired by simple adjustments causing each I and couples II and IV on the other sheets.

The press may be run atnormal speed and -will have the same output in number of sheet but some will be printed with a two colordesign formed by couples I and III and the others with a two color design formed by couples II and IV which obvious .ly'may be anv entirely different design from the other. The action of the various couples in desired manner may be effected through suitable control of the throw-off means.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, in the present embodiment of the invention to permit control of the arms 27 I and 27 III independently of the arms 27 II and 27 IV, these arms maybe provided with cam followers 31 disposed in difierent planes and in the present instance the followers for the arms 27 I and 27 III project forwardly viewing Fig. 1, and those on the arms 27 II and 27 IV project rcarwardly. The cam mechanism for controlling the several arms may comprise two cam discs, an

igripper bar 9,-it will beseen that 'thegripper bair 9 is carrying a sheet of paper through the couple II and thatthe follower of arm '27 II has just entered the inner or depressed portionofthe cam -track:ra1sing "the :impression cylinder of couple II into position to cause "the plate cylinder to print on-thesheet. This portion of the cam "track is suitably )roportioned to the length "ofthe she'et whicl is to "be printedon and the follower then enters an outer or use po'r-tion of the .groove working the throw-ofi" and s'eparatingthe form cylinder from the impression cylinder. As seen from Fig. 4

similar inner or depressed portions which serve to'c'ause printing actionof the couple are spaced Ifrom the one'reierred to a third and :two thirds of the circumference respectively and as the gripper bars 11 and' 13 are similarly spaced from the gripper bar 9a'nd thecam and ring gears rotate :at the same {angular speed, obviously the couple I I will be thrown into print as thegripper bars 111 and 13 respectively reach the position occupied by igripper'bar 9 in Fig.

1. The'groove "oiicam 33 is a counterpart of the groove-of cam 35 and is "similar- 1y *angularly positioned and as the angular relation of the several coup'lesiand the sev- 'e1aliarmsi27 is fixed, the operation of the mechanism is "such that reach couple -will print 011 I each and every sheet. The opera 'tion or the cams 33 and '35 is similar to the single cam shownl in the apaten'treferred to and there'shown-similar to cam 33 but :two "cams "are utilized in the embodiment ofzthe invention shown to iprovide ifor operating arms 27 having followers disposed indifferent planes to'obviate changing the position. of the cam ifollowers when the press is adjusted to printtwo two-color jobs in the manner hereinafter described.

'If itzis "desired to :print two two-color Yjobs with the four couples, this maybe effected :by I substituting suitable change cams for the 'cams 33 and 35 and in Fig. 5 suitable came 33 and=35 are illustrated. :Referring to Fig.6 and ig.i1,-the"ar1n 27 :II is'in an inner or depressed portion ofthe cam track and couple II is in "position to :print on the sheet carried by gripper bar '11. The succeeding outer or :rise portion of the; cam track, however, is relatively long "and 'another inner or depressed portion does not occur for about two-thirds of the circumference. Consequently the cylinders of couple II remain out of contact while the gripper bar 11 passes through the couple II in the position occupied by the gripper bar '9 in Fig. 1 and are not thrown in again -to print until the gripper bar 13 comes 't'oth'at position, The couple II and the couple IV,

which is likewise controlled by cam 35, thus print only on the sheets carried by grippers 9 and 13 and this printing may be in two colors, one for each couple. To prevent the couples I and III from printing on the sheets operated on by couples II and 'IV and to cause them to print on'the'remaining sheets, the arms 27 II and .27 :IV are controlled by cam .33. This has a single depressed portion disposed between the depressed portions of the track and cam 35?, the angular position being such that it will throw the couples in as the sheet carried by gripper 11 is brought to them. The outer or rise portion of the'cam holds 'thecouples out while the sheets carried vby .grippers 9 k and 13 pass.

It will be obvious from this description that by a simple change in cams the press may be operated atthe same speedmeasured in sheets per minute to ,produce either four color work or two independent jobs of two color work. In the latter case when (the cams, as showninEF-igs. 5 'and .5", -are utilized, each form operates ata rate measured :in impressions per minute which is .thezsub- .multiple of the rate at which sheetsare carried through thecouplesrmeasured in-sheets .per minute. 1

In the form of the .invention shownand. utilizingtlie'oams shown'in Figs. '5 flan'd 5", if one of the couplesis permanently thrown out as-by means ofthedevice 37,.the ;press can -be utilized to print one -two color job and one single color job. By varying the number and/form of the change cams, as will be obvious, various other combinations may be effected and in the 'case of .a "two color press instead of a *four color @press, two single color jobs could be printed by substantially the. same means as 'herein shown.

- In the form of-press shown .-.in Fig. .1 there are three grippers'bars (and when arran'ged with the cams shown in Figs, 5 and 5 couples II and IV print-on the sheet carried bygripper bars'9 and 13 and cow ples I'and III on the sheet carried byqgripper bar 11. Thus, two-thirds of the work is printed in one job and the remaining third in-the other. In a {PI'BSS with four gripper bars obviously the couples could be governed toprint. different jobs on alternate sheets'byth e use of camsrotating at the same angular speed as'the ring gears like those herein shown. In thecase of a two color press where two gripper bars are ordinarily used half the sheets could be printed with one couple and half with the other.

By utilizing, for example, cam of Fig. e in combination with cam 33 of Fig. 5 two-thirds of the sheets may be printed in four colors and every third sheet with two colors of the same design.

I have described in detail the particular application and mechanical embodiment of my invention shown as an example herein in connection with aparticular form of press. Obviously the scope of the invention is not limited to the particular arrangement and combination herein shown but the method may be practiced with various mechanisms and the invention find embodiment in widely varying forms.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent I shall express in the following claims:

1. Printing mechanism comprising means for carrying sheets along a cylindrical path, form cylinders ranged about said path, cooperating throw-off means for the several forms comprising radially reciprocating levers, cam followers on the levers presented in different planes and a plurality of cams cooperating with said followers.

2. Printing mechanism comprising means,

for carrying sheets along a cylindrical path, 7

form cylinders ranged about said path, 00- operating throw-off means for the several forms comprising radially reciprocating levers, cam followers on the levers presented in different planes and a plurality of cams cooperating with said followers, said cams having operating portions serving to cause printing from the corresponding forms, which portions are disaligned on the several cams.

3. Printing mechanism comprising means for carrying sheets along a cylindrical path, form cylinders ranged around said path, throw-off means comprising radial levers and a plurality of centrally arranged rotary cams each controlling one or more of said levers.

4. Printing mechanism comprising means for carrying sheets along a cylindrical path, form cylinders ranged about said path, cooperating throw-off means for the several forms comprising radially reciprocatin levers, cam followers on the levers presented in diiierent planes and a plurality of cams cooperating with said followers and means at will to render the motion of a given lever ineffective to operate the throw-off means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

OTTO C. F. MEISEL. 

